PART FOUR
DOCTRINE OF IRRESISTIBLE GRACE
Now these doctrines are just like a chain, that when you get one ring out of the chain, you lose the entire chain and so this is the same thing with these doctrines. It’s very difficult to say that you believe in total depravity but you don’t believe in an unconditional election, and also the Limited atonement. Such ideas I would basically say that they come from individuals that have not fully understood these doctrines very well because it is very difficult to believe one and then you deny the other, all of them go hand in hand, they go together so they are not at odds with each other.
I still want to re-echo what I said in the start of this book that the main person behind the understanding of all this is the person of the Holy Spirit, you need to depend on him a lot to grant you the clear understanding of that which is written and to make you humble in the sense that you are willing to submit your mind to the text, to be taught by the text, but not to impose your mind on the text. And I also pray that may the good Lord help you that you may understand some of these things because if you don’t believe them today you’ll believe them tomorrow and if you don’t believe them tomorrow if you’re born again you’ll know someday when you get into eternity that yes this is it, this was the truth.
Now let’s turn our focus on what we call the Irresistible Grace which is also commonly known as the Effectual Calling. One thing that I want to begin with as a disclaimer is very simple that; the Irresistible Grace, the way you hear the word it might sound negative, but it does not mean that God violates the will of those He saves. So when a person hears the words Irresistible Grace, the first thing that runs into a person’s mind is to think that this is just like men and women being like robots being controlled, and they have no right at any point but that is not what we are saying. Irresistible Grace does not mean that God violates the will of those God saves but that God’s grace is always effectual to save the one he decides to save.
That is very important that yes men do resist the Spirit of God, we see it even as Stephen was responding to many of the Jews in Jerusalem after having given them the background of the start of the nation of Israel, he actually reached somewhere in his defence and he had to make it clear to them that the Jews in one way or the other always resisted the Spirit
“You stiff-necked people, uncircumcised in heart and ears, you always resist the Holy Spirit. As your fathers did, so do you. (Acts 7:51)
So it’s true from what we see here, the Bible says its true men can resist the Holy Spirit but not those that God chose to belong to him. And one thing I can basically say, even when a person is strong willed in the sense that he’s unchangeable, if God purposed from eternity past that he will save a particular person, He does save that person and no person God by his grace purposed to save will God fail at saving him. Or we can also say although the general call or the outward call as far as the preaching of the Gospel is concerned is often rejected but the special inward call of the Spirit never fails to result in the conversion of those to whom it is made.
Let me explain my point; that when we go out and preach the gospel, it’s because the Bible tells us to go and preach the gospel for God ordains the means and ends, and God has chosen in his sovereignty that the way to bring in his elect is through the preaching of the gospel and so there we also see what we call the human responsibility, it is our responsibility to preach the gospel Paul says;
For if I preach the gospel that gives me no ground for boasting. For necessity is laid upon me. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! (1Corinthians 9:16)
How then will they call on him in whom they have not believed? And how are they to believe in him of whom they have never heard? And how are they to hear without someone preaching? (Romans 10:14)
The call of the Gospel is in two phases it is both outward and Inward.
So when we go out and preach it’s what we call the general preaching or the general calling or external call or the outward call of all men and women, we beseech them on behalf of Christ through the preaching of the gospel, that each and every man and woman would repent of their sins when they hear the gospel preached as we go out and preach it. However this general call is often rejected by many people, not everyone that hears the gospel responds positively to the gospel.
The inward call often referred to as the inward call of the Spirit can never fail to result in the conversion of those to whom it is made.
Those that God chose from eternity past to belong to him, when the due time comes when he purposed to bring them into the kingdom, to bring them to Faith in Christ, there is nothing that can fail the Spirit, there is nothing that can hinder them from coming, it’s what we call the irresistible call. So any person can reject but not those that God chose by his Sovereign Grace to draw unto himself, it is God himself drawing his people to himself.
A common example to us all is the conversion of a persecutor that was known as Saul whom we see in the book of Acts breathing threats and murder against the disciples of the Lord, the one that went to the high priest seeking for letters so that he could go to the synagogues at Damascus that he may be able to capture men, women and children and bound them and bring them to Jerusalem. Remember what happened to him?
Now as he went on his way, he approached Damascus, and suddenly a light from heaven shone around him. And falling to the ground, he heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” And he said, “Who are you, Lord?” And he said, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. But rise and enter the city, and you will be told what you are to do.” (Act 9:3-6)
Now for Saul I can tell you he knew nothing about this encounter, that on a day he would be moving towards Damascus something would happen to him. And the same is true for many people today, it’s very difficult for a person to say today I am going to get born again but when it happens you wonder how it happened. I tell you, strong willed as Paul was, skilled in assassination as he was and ravaging as he was, when that time came he could not resist that which God had purposed to do.
This is the Gospel, what can fail God? The one that actually by (exnhilo) out of nothing, he created everything you and I are able to see, visible and invisible, he sustains everything, he created millions and trillions of galaxies and everything is under his control. He’s Sovereign over everything, over nations, over nature, over demons, over men, nothing happens directly or indirectly without his sovereign permission and nothing and no one can thwart his will. What can fail God? He removes mountains without them being aware; he sustains everything in their sterol courses in the universe.
The conversion of Saul is one thing for person to ponder; this is a man on a journey to arrest, not having a thought of actually turning away from his sinful ways. But I’m telling you, he was in the due time and he could not resist it so I have to make it very clear that the special call is not made to all sinners but it is issued to the elect only.
Remember dear ones Romans 8 is very important in considering this it says;
And those whom he predestined he also called, [it is only those that He predestined that he calls, those that he never predestined he never calls. The “call” in the context here is what we call the special call or the inward call or the Heavenly call or the effectual calling. It is made through the preaching of the Gospel, as you preach you’ve seen not all of them respond, the ones who respond just know that a special call, an inward call, the effectual calling of the spirit has been made to them] and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified. (Romans 8:30)
It is the golden chain of redemption according to the theologians, this is a link, and no piece is left out, it is following a particular order. It starts first with predestination that took place from eternity past, it wasn’t an afterthought, it wasn’t actually a recent plan of God, and it is something God actually planned before anything was and so in time the gospel is preached and so the special call is made to all those sinners that God actually chose as his elect.
And so the Spirit is in no way dependent on the help of those sinners that are known as the elect of God for success in his work of bringing them to Christ. The thing that is made very clear here is that these sinners unto whom the special call is made to, the Spirit of God does not depend onto them for success or their cooperation for they to be brought to Christ. It’s why we call it the effectual calling of the Spirit or the irresistible grace of God. The Spirit of God is Sovereign everything that defines, everything that explains who God is, it is the same thing that explains who the Holy Spirit is. The Father, Son and the Holy Spirit, the father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, the Spirit is not the Father and all of them are equal in power, in glory, in dominion. What can fail the Spirit of God? It doesn’t depend on man to bring the success to the work of bringing that person to Faith.
And so the grace which the Holy Spirit extends to the elect cannot be refused, every sinner that belongs to the Lord that was elected, that Grace when it is extended to that sinner, that sinner cannot refuse it. One would say that is a violation. What I am saying is that a lot of things do take place at that particular time as the gospel is being preached, they are convicted of their sin as they hear the gospel and as they hear the gospel by the Spirit’s work in their lives, as they are being convicted of their sin, their desires for sinful things begin to be exposed and then they see the holiness of God, the weight of the wrath of God that awaits for them as sinners and so the unwilling is made willing. And so they come willingly without them being actually coerced or pressured. (Psalm 110:3)
J.I Parker speaking about the irresistible Grace or the effectual calling said that; “effectual calling is a 16th century English phrase that became the title of chapter 10 of the 1647 Westminster confession and the chapter begins thus ‘All those whom God has predestined to life [this confession is going back to Romans 8:30]All Those whom God has predestined to life which is the same thing as salvation and those only he is pleased in his appointed and accepted time effectually to call by his word and by Spirit out of that state of sin and death”
Look at that, that the ones He predestined to life it is only they that that he is pleased about in his appointed and accepted time to effectually call by his word and the Spirit out of the state of sin and death even the time is appointed when they should come in.
That’s why Paul is very clear; I have planted, Apollos watered; but God gave the increase. (1Corinthians 3:6)
So there are men, women and children of age that we have spoken to concerning the gospel that we may not necessarily harvest, we may not see them come to Faith because there is the time appointed and there’s a time accepted when they should come in, when they should be effectually by the word and the Spirit be gotten out of the state of sin and death.
I remember it was an evening; I was from a movie hall watching kungfu and other movies. And I remember as I came out of the movie Hall, I had some small coins and so I was able to buy some popcorns, I think they were for 200shs this was in early 2000 to be exact in 2005. So as I marched out coming to the main road that led straight to home, I heard on the side of the road that I was on, a crusade. And so what I did, I had to cross and go to the other side of the road so that I don’t move past the crusade grounds because I was avoiding it. But as I was moving closer to the area opposite where the Crusade was taking place, the guy that was preaching that I know not of up to now, this guy actually kept on saying a lot of things. And I can tell you since I had avoided walking from the other side of the road where the Crusade was taking place, I don’t know what happened to me, I crossed the road without any person forcing me and I went to hear more and the next thing I was on the stage ready to surrender to Christ.
It’s what I am saying that the time was appointed from eternity past, that day I left home went to a movie hall as a sinner, I didn’t plan that evening of that day to get born again, I watched my movies, I finished them but the time that God had appointed I could not resist it.
And so J.I Parker goes on to quote to from the Westminster confession “in which they are by nature to Grace and salvation by Jesus Christ, enlightening their mind spiritually and savingly to understand the things of God. When that time comes the one that didn’t understand the things of God, what he experiences when is transferred from the state of sin and death which was his nature he’s brought into a state of grace and salvation by Jesus Christ. His mind is actually enlightened by the Spirit and is now brought into a place where he understands the things of God. Taking away their heart of stone giving unto them a heart of flesh, renewing their wills and by his Almighty power determining them to that which is good and effectually drawing them to Jesus Christ yet so as they come most freely being made willing by his grace.
That is the teaching of the text that again we see;
Your people will offer themselves freely on the day of your power, in holy garments; from the womb of the morning, the dew of your youth will be yours. (Psalms 110:3)
When that appointed day comes as the gospel is preached, a special call is made to the elect of God that they that were unwilling are made willing that’s the same thing you see in;
Draw me after you; let us run. The king has brought me into his chambers. We will exult and rejoice in you; we will extol your love more than wine; rightly do they love you. (Song of Solomon 1:4)
The reality is that the effectual calling involves not only it being about conversion of a sinner but it also involves illumination meaning someone’s mind is enlightened, regeneration that is actually the heart- transplant; a stony heart is removed and the heart of flesh is placed there. It also involves faith remember regeneration precedes faith; we are able to believe because regeneration has taken place, and repentance and that’s indeed the Sovereign work of God. It is effectual in the sense that it is effective because it is performed by the Holy Spirit and He cannot in that sense be resisted if that special call is made to the elect of God, they cannot refuse it.
I want us to consider more verses about this particular doctrine and see what we are basically communicating. This call here that we call the irresistible call Paul refers to it several times in his writing;
Including you who are called to belong to Jesus Christ, (Romans 1:6)
[the ones who are called to Christ are the ones that we have known as the elect of God and when Paul uses the word ‘call’ it is the same thing that Paul refers to one being brought to Faith in other words the one that is called is the one that has been converted.]
And it is the same thing that we saw in Romans 8:30 and it’s the same thing that you can also see in Romans 9:23- 24
in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory[So that vessels of Mercy are the elect. When did he choose them? When did he Mercy them? From eternity says which he prepared beforehand, before anything was for glory look] even us whom he has called, [at even us whom he has called [means that these individuals that are called, are brought to Faith, that can be sure of their] not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles? (Romans 9:23-24)
You can also see again that call that we are emphasizing in 1 Corinthians which is to show you the kind of people that God calls, they are not very special.
But to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. (1Corinthians 1:24)
For consider your calling, [speaking of the special call to the elect] brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. (1Corinthians 1:26)
Was anyone at the time of his call already circumcised? Let him not seek to remove the marks of circumcision. Was anyone at the time of his call uncircumcised? Let him not seek circumcision. (1Corinthians 7:18)
This is both the Jews and Gentiles because the elect of the Lord are scattered among the Jews and the Gentiles, so among the Jews there are the elect of the Lord, among the Gentiles there are also the elect of the Lord
Were you a bondservant when called? [Remember the call we talking about here it is the effectual calling the irresistible Grace] Do not be concerned about it. (But if you can gain your freedom, avail yourself of the opportunity.) (1Corinthians 7:21)
But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace, (Galatians 1:15)
So when Paul began to get into the imperatives and to show us how the believers at Ephesus had to conduct themselves because they belonged to the Lord.
I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, (Ephesians 4:1)
This is a Heavenly calling that separates us from the former which was us loving the life of sin and hating the things of God you see again this calling here was a special call a call for us to be separated and actually us living unto the glory of God
There is one body and one Spirit just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call (Ephesians 4:4)
But we ought always to give thanks to God for you, brothers beloved by the Lord, because God chose you as the first fruits to be saved, through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth.
To this he called you through our gospel, so that you may obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. (2 Thessalonians 2:13-14)
So there is very huge contrast that we should also make with the idea of a external or ineffective invitation as found in Matthew; you see that the ones that our father did not predestinate from eternity past they can only hear the external call that is ineffective but they never have the special call issued unto them.
For many are called, but few are chosen.” Matthew 22:14
So if it says for many are called it is speaking of two things here; many are called indicates the general preaching of the Gospel, the outward call, the external call, which does not always result in a positive response but if it says few are chosen it means that as the general call, as the outward call is made, as the external call of the preaching of the Gospel is made, among many that hear the gospel there are those men and women and children and to whom actually a special call is actually made and they will respond. And so we have to make it very clear that the original sin renders all human beings naturally dead and irresponsive even when the direct call is made, they cannot respond on their own, God has to help them because they are just like any other man, that is why the call that enables them to respond, we call it a special call, the irresistible grace of God.
But in effectual call or irresistible grace of God, God quickens them from the state of their deadness and as the outward call of God through the preaching of the Gospel is made and also the reading of the scriptures and explaining of the meaning of the text. The Holy Spirit enlightens and renews the heart of the elect sinners so that they understand the gospel and embrace it as Truth from God and God in Christ becomes to them an object of their desire and affection.
But now being now regenerate and able by the use of their freed will to choose God and the good, they turn away from their former pattern of living to receive Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour and to start a new life with him.
That’s what happens to all the elect of the Lord, that in the day of his power the unwilling are made willing and they that choose Christ they choose Christ because Christ is the one who first chose them
In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. (1John 4:9)
We love because he first loved us. (1John 4:19)
You were unchangeable in your own ability, you could not have done what we call “self salvation” or “self transformation” for the power was not in you so you needed the power of God. And so God by his grace, to all of you that are already in Christ, you have a reason to thank God, you have a reason to serve him with all gladness and joy. And the Spirit that regenerated you is the one that continues to work in your life so that you live a life separate from a life of sin to the glory of God.